"not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving" -w.t. purkiser

Sunday, September 14, 2008

The Best Gifts

Mom, Grandma, and Anita with Mazie, Lucia, and Elliott:Whenever there is a celebration of any sort, the best gifts are always the people at the party or event. Toys and books and money are wonderful, but they break and wear out and get spent. It is the memories of those who come to offer their love and support that last a lifetime.

We were so thankful to have friends and family help us celebrate one year with LEM. Nana and Papa Glenn were here, of course, along with Nanalin and Grandpa and also Grancy and H's Nannie. But, with orchestration from H and my Aunt Anita, Anita surprised me by bringing my Grandma the five hour drive down for the party. I was so grateful when I saw that old woman in the car and couldn't believe that she traveled down to our neck of the woods. If you know me well at all you know that my Grandma is one of my lights. Anita and I have always been close, and she knew what it would mean to Grandma and me for them to be here. It was great to have them both here. We enjoyed our time together.

Once it was secured that Grandma was coming to visit for the party, H mandated that my sister and niece come as well. They flew back out for the weekend. H arranged to take Dad and Linda and me to the big city to do a few things Friday. The last errand of the day was to drop Linda and me at Target so Linda could pick something up and so that Dad and H could run to a nearby store and pick up a surprise H had ordered for the party. The "store" around the corner turned out to be the airport and the "surprise" my sister and niece. I was waiting to check out with my few items when I turned around and saw my sister. "Hmm, I know her," I thought to myself. "She must be from my hometown." It took about a second for those thoughts to pass through my head and for me to realize, "Yes, you do know her, Dummy. That's your sister and she just flew in from the west coast. And that is your niece in the buggy." I really had no idea and was so shocked at seeing them in Target that I had a pretty minimal reaction. I was just completely dumbfounded. I don't even remember what I said. I think I kept repeating, "You are here? You are here! You are here? You are here!" Our cashier Derricka got to watch the whole thing go down.

Our birthday weekend was most wonderful. The babies had a wonderful time, and H and I also had a wonderful time having those we care for so much around us. The only person missing was Karen's husband Jon. Lucky for him he was off in Colorado reuniting with his high school friends. Thank you again to all of you who made Lucia's and Elliott's and Mazie's first birthday so very memorable.

Here are a few pictures of Avery interacting with H's Nannie. Nannie is sitting next to my Grandma. Grandma turned 90 in March and Nannie will be 90 in January. H and I loved seeing the two of them sitting there together.Here are picture of Grandma with Lucia, Elliott, and then Mazie. The girls are holding the little Cabbage Patch dolls she gave them for their birthdays.

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Welcome to A Gracious Plenty

This is the documentation of two mamas raising their three babes (born September 2007) in a one-red-light town in a dry county in the Deep South. We are documenting what we want to remember. We also offer a glimpse into this wonderful life we are living, so different from what either of us imagined, complete with all its challenges and blessings, failures and successes. We thank you for checking in on us.